Points-based pathway
SMC points: now vs 24 August 2026
The Points-based pathway needs 6 points from ONE skill category (income, qualification, or NZ registration), either alone or topped up with points for skilled work experience in New Zealand. You cannot combine two skill categories. Here is every value that changes.
Qualification points
| Qualification | Now | From 24 Aug 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Doctoral degree (level 10) | 6 | 6 |
| NZ master's + bachelor's (or NZ combined) | 5 | 6 (needs 30+ weeks full-time NZ study) |
| NZ master's alone | 5 | 5 (no bachelor's needed) |
| Overseas master's + bachelor's | 5 | 5 |
| Overseas master's, no bachelor's | 5 | 0 (underpinning bachelor's now required) |
| NZ honours / PGDip / PGCert (level 8) + bachelor's | 4 (PGCert: 3) | 5 |
| Overseas honours / PGDip / PGCert (level 8) + bachelor's | 4 (PGCert: 3) | 4 |
| NZ bachelor's degree (level 7) | 3 | 5 |
| Overseas bachelor's degree (level 7) | 3 | 4 |
The underpinning bachelor's can be from any country, does not need to be relevant, and needs no IQA (certificate and transcript only). Where an IQA confirms only a level, the fallback is 5 points for level 10, 4 for level 9, 3 for level 8.
NZ work experience points (the top-up)
| Points | Now | From 24 Aug 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 3 points | 36 months (in prior 60) | 24 months (in prior 48) |
| 2 points | 24 months (in prior 48) | 18 months (in prior 36) |
| 1 point | 12 months (in prior 24) | 12 months (in prior 24) |
This is the quiet headline: a 5-point qualification (like an NZ bachelor's under the new values) plus just 12 months of NZ skilled work experience reaches 6 points, and a 4-point qualification gets there with 18 months.
Income points (unchanged structure)
| Income | Points | At the current $35.00 threshold |
|---|---|---|
| 3x the SMC wage threshold | 6 | $105.00 / hour |
| 2x | 4 | $70.00 / hour |
| 1.5x | 3 | $52.50 / hour |
NZ registration points
Registrations, licences, and certifications listed at SR3.30 carry 3 to 6 points each: for example Medical Practitioner, Chartered Professional Engineer, Architect, and Licensed Immigration Adviser at 6; Registered Teacher and Pharmacist at 5; Midwife, Social Worker, and LBP Carpentry at 4; Registered Nurse and most licensed trades at 3. From 24 August 2026, CPA Australia membership joins at 6 points for accountants who can undertake statutory accountant work. Provisional, trainee, or limited forms do not qualify unless specified.
Check where you stand in 3 minutes
The checker scores all three categories, applies the new bands automatically, and tells you the fastest combination to 6 points for your situation.
Run the free SMC eligibility checker →Common questions
Figures and rules on this page are sourced from Immigration New Zealand (Amendment Circular 2026-16, the INZ Operational Manual, and INZ's published pay-rate tables), current as at 8 July 2026. The 24 August 2026 settings are provisional until the amended instructions are published on the INZ website. This page is general information about immigration settings, not immigration advice; for advice about your situation, talk to a licensed immigration adviser or lawyer. See the official INZ Skilled Migrant Category pages.